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Certified Course for Contemporary Dance Performers
PERFORMACT is a two-year, certified course with ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) recognised by the University of Dance in Lisbon (ESD).
Based in Torres Vedras, Portugal, it is structured as an intensive training and creation environment, where dancers develop their technical and performative capacities in direct dialogue with the realities of the professional field. The programme is grounded in continuous contact with more than 40 guest teachers per year, offering students the opportunity to engage with diverse technical practices, methodologies and creative processes. Throughout the two years, training and creation are not treated as separate domains, but as interconnected practices that inform and expand one another.
I — Immersion in Performative Practice
The first year is centred on immersion in performative work. Students engage in intensive cycles of creation and repertoire, working closely with choreographers and pedagogues. These processes may involve the reconstruction of existing works or the development of new creations.
The daily structure supports this dynamic: mornings are dedicated to technical training, with two classes focusing on different approaches and techniques, while afternoons are reserved for creation, research and rehearsal. This continuity allows students to directly integrate technical work into performative contexts.
Alongside studio practice, the programme includes Tool Cycles, where students engage with complementary areas such as anatomy, philosophy, light design, music and video editing, and concept writing. These components are not approached as separate subjects, but as tools that feed the creative process, supporting a more informed, articulate and autonomous engagement with each artistic proposal.
II — Development of Artistic Practice
In the second year, students continue their engagement with guest artists through repertoire and creation processes, maintaining the daily rhythm of morning technical classes.
Parallel to this, students begin a structured development of their own artistic practice. Starting from initial ideas, they are guided through processes of research, composition and conceptual development. This includes work on dramaturgy, movement research, writing, budgeting, video documentation and technical understanding.
The year is oriented towards the transition into the professional field. Students develop practical tools for working as freelance artists, offering essential tools for auditioning, self-promotion and artistic networking.
At the same time, a selected group who wish to immerse themselves more deeply in a choreographic path can culminate their process to develop an original work, with the mentorship of PERFORMACT'S artistic team and guest artists.
III (Optional) — Choreographer in Residency
After completing the two-year programme, a limited number of students may be invited to continue into an additional year as Choreographer in Residency, focused on independent creation.
Participants continue to attend morning technical classes alongside second-year students, while dedicating the afternoons to their own research and artistic development.
Throughout the year, guest artists and the PERFORMACT team provide mentorship, supporting each participant in refining their work and navigating the professional field, including applications for residencies, funding and professional opportunities.
This year provides time, space and support for sustained artistic development, acting as a bridge between formal training and an independent freelance choreographic practice.
LEARN BY DOING
PERFORMACT is grounded in a Learn by Doing approach, where technical training, creative exploration and professional experience are continuously intertwined. Students are immersed in a dynamic and demanding environment that reflects the conditions of the contemporary dance field, working in direct contact with international guest artists and engaging regularly in performance contexts.
Throughout the programme, students are involved in presentations in theatres, festivals and informal settings, both in Torres Vedras and within the wider Lisbon area. These opportunities are not treated as isolated moments, but as an integral part of the learning process, allowing students to test, adapt, and refine their practice in real conditions.
Students are equally supported in developing and presenting their own creations, building the capacity to position themselves not only as performers, but also as authors of their own artistic paths.
Through this continuous exposure to real working contexts, students develop practical tools, autonomy, and critical awareness. At the same time, build meaningful connections with artists, programmers, organisations, and local communities, establishing a network that can actively support the transition into their professional careers.
FEES
Administrative fee: 2.000€
(one-time payment, due before the start of the programme, non-refundable)
Year I: 5.500€
Year II: 5.500€
Year III: 3.000€ (optional)
Payments can be made either in full or through instalment plans.
Instalment options are available upon request and include an additional administrative fee of 300€.
SCOLARSHIPS
PERFORMACT operates as an independent, self-run programme and does not offer internal scholarships.
Applicants are responsible for seeking and securing their own funding. Upon request, PERFORMACT can provide the necessary documentation to support applications to external funding entities.
Several students have successfully obtained funding from institutions in their home countries, in some cases covering the full cost of the programme.
PERFORMACT also welcomes students through Erasmus and other similar mobility programmes.
AUDITIONS
Auditions for the academic year 2026/2028 are open!!
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